Greens want to ban alt-right figure

The Greens are demanding a controversial British commentator associated with the alt-right movement be banned from attending an event at Parliament House next week.

Greens leader Richard Di Natale will ask the Speaker and Senate President on Tuesday to not let Milo Yiannopoulos use Parliament House for a Q&A event hosted by Liberal Democrat senator David Leyonhjelm.

But Senator Leyonhjelm did not think the presiding officers would cancel the event merely because the Greens disagreed with Yiannopoulos.

"Parliament is not an echo chamber for those who agree with them," he told AAP.

In his request, Senator Di Natale described Yiannopoulos as "an individual who has become notorious for his racist, sexist and abusive behaviour".

"The global reputation of our national parliament as a place that celebrates and actively encourages a diverse range of views and opinion but does so respectfully is at serious risk," he wrote.

The Greens want to echo a decision by West Australian Premier Mark McGowan to refuse Yiannopoulos use of any government sites during his visit in December.

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Yiannopoulos was permanently banned from Twitter last year for inciting abuse against US actress Leslie Jones.

While he rejects the label 'alt-right,' Yiannopoulos is a former senior editor at Breitbart News which is associated with the movement.

Greens senator Sarah Hanson-Young made her feelings known in a reply to all parliamentary staff last week on an email inviting them to attend the event with Senator Leyonhjelm.

"I question how this man has secured a visa to Australia, let alone access to Parliament House," she wrote.

"A man who travels the world spreading racist and sexist drivel, who believes there is no such thing as rape culture is not welcome in our safe and respectful house of democracy."

Various television programs, including The Project and Studio Ten, have cancelled appearances by Yiannopoulos.

He accused hosts of being too scared.

"These are some of the highest-paid, highest-profile, bravest supposedly journalists in the Australian media establishment ... the Australian media who are chicken s**t and say they will have me on (then) they realise I'm not an idiot and won't have me on in the studio," he told The Australian newspaper on Monday.